Is My Heart In Ohio, You Ask?

You! You silly Dayton-natives, Hawthorne Heights, have become the very bane of my existence.

Every time I travel out-of-state for a show, it is because of YOU that I am, without fail, always asked if my "heart is in Ohio." Blast you! When I saw a member of your band at a gas station not terribly long ago, I wanted to growl that sentiment at him, but that wouldn't have been very nice, would it? No. See, I don't harass you; so, leave me alone, will ya?

Okay, so HH doesn't exactly harass me; we simply happen to share an area code and references to the band's lyrics happen to follow me, but still...

Among some of the albums dropping this week is Hawthorne Heights' Skeletons, which I simply could not appreciate at the level my 15-year-old self appreciated The Silence In Black And White. Regardless, I gave the album 5 listens and concluded that it warranted a 6.5/10 rating in my album review for ACRN.

Also among this week's releases is Clay Aiken's Tried And True. Yes, I'm talking about the guy who didn't win "American Idol" circa 2003.

Was there a time in my life when I got choked up while listening to Aiken's first full-length album, Measure of a Man, on repeat? Yes. I will follow Editorial Director Courtney Baldasare's lead by shamelessly and publicly professing my love for a pop star. In fact, I am listening to the album right now in the last hours I have to treasure Lala before Apple steals it from me.

Aiken's Tried And True pays a jazzy (elevator music) ode to the classics, and is oh-so-lovely throughout, especially the cover of "Unchained Melody." Oh, how I swooned. I suppose the fact that I grinned and squeaked happily upon listening to the first song proves that one who is once a Claymate is always a Claymate.

So many people who care about cred just decided that I have none. Deal with it, cred-lovers; for, I am about to talk about an artist that you probably care about a bit more: Good Old War.

Good Old War's self-titled album showcases a sweet simplicity that made me feel I was sitting on a porch swing at a cabin in a hollow as I listened to it, or -- maybe -- balancing on a log to cross some sort of creek. You folksy types will love it. I can feel it.

Giving June 1 a bit more ass-kickery is The Bride Screamed Murder by Melvins, a hard rock album with laughable titles like "Pig House" and "I'll Finish you Off."

Brutal, dudes.

Fans of classic Heavy Metal will probably find something to like in The Melvins' release.

As you can see, you have a nice selection of albums dropping on this wretchedly hot June day. Check out those that fit your tastes.

Oh! For future reference, out-of-state friends: No, my heart is not quite in Ohio. I believe its listed location on its Twitter page is "somewhere within Cassie's ribs."

--Cassie Whitt, Blogs Editor